Terry Bradshaw weighs in on Tech's bowl, coaching loss

Terry Bradshaw doesn't mind speaking his mind on anything, even when he hasn't acquired all of the pertinent facts. Maybe that's why he's beloved by many outside his contingent of ex-wives.

Seeking the former Louisiana Tech All-American's opinion on the perfect storm his alma mater endured this week, we contacted him at his home just as he stepped from the shower. Thankfully it was a telephone interview, since we had seen more of Bradshaw than we wanted in his 2006 movie "Failure to Launch."

The Fox NFL Sunday co-host admitted he didn't have a lot of background information on Tech's omission from the 2012 bowl lineup, but that didn't stop him.

"I feel bad for the 30-plus players, the coaches and the fans. I've kinda been informed how it happened. It's crazy," Bradshaw said. "I don't know what happened. Somebody dropped the ball ... who knows?"

Independence Bowl officials elected not to wait on a Tech decision and Liberty Bowl officials allegedly lied to Tech athletic director about their spot, so 32 Bulldogs unexpectedly played their final game in California, where their coach is headed.

"I was shocked when we didn't have a bowl. We were told we would have till Monday. And then Northern Illinois got the bowl and bumped up -- whatever," Bradshaw said. "It's unfortunate. But win the last two games and you don't have to worry about that. We lost to Utah State and we lost to San Jose. There it is."

Like most of the country, Bradshaw wasn't surprised that coach Sonny Dykes hit the road following a 9-3 season. Dykes flirted with leaving for Houston last year and didn't decide to stay until moments before kickoff in the Poinsettia Bowl.

"We had a talk at that time that we would probably have to go through that every year with him," Bradshaw said. "He showed us the kind of coach we need to bring in to keep this program going. We're a football program where the spread works for us. It helps us recruit."

Bradshaw texted Dykes early on Wednesday wishing him luck in whatever decision he made. He told him he'd been good for Tech.

"Then I saw later that he got the job. So I texted him 'congratulations,'" he said. "That's about all you can do."

Some Bulldog fans are disappointed about losing yet another coach to an AQ school just three years after Derek Dooley bolted for Tennessee. But Tech was instrumental in making both Dooley and Dykes millionaires. That's a good thing when it comes to looking for the next coach.

"We're nothing but a place for people to come and see if they can coach, then we lose'em and bring someone else in. That's who we are," Bradshaw said. "We can't pay'em and even if we could pay'em we couldn't hold'em. It's unfortunate."

The shoe could be on the other foot. Tech could be one of the mid-level schools with a coaching staff that never attracts looks. Some of those coaches make it to bowl games, and still don't get looks. Bradshaw is glad Tech is the type program that attracts the best and he looks on the bright side about a Tech coaching search that needs to move quickly.

"They'll find another one. And hopefully he's as good as Sonny with better defense," Bradshaw said. "But all these guys want to go to the big programs where they can get the big money and have a chance to win the national title. I totally get it, and I don't blame them one bit."

Connect with Jimmy Watson on Twitter at @JimmyWatson6

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Terry Bradshaw weighs in on Tech's bowl, coaching loss

Terry Bradshaw doesn?t mind speaking his mind on anything, even when he hasn?t acquired all of the pertinent facts. Maybe that?s why he?s beloved by many outside his contingent of ex-wives.